The invention relates to an exchangeable developer station for a laser printer having an elongate toner tank, a shaft arranged above the toner tank and a toner delivery roller mounted in front of the toner outlet opening of the toner tank.
In a known developer station of the abovementioned type, the shaft serves to receive a cartridge for refilling the toner tank. At the lower end of the shaft for the toner refill cartridge, a circumferential seal is arranged, against which one edge of the toner refill cartridge, which is closed off by a tear-off film on its underside, can rest in order to prevent toner from escaping not only during refilling but also during operation of the developer station, i.e. during operation of the developer station, the toner refill cartridge fulfils the function of a lid, which, in view of the fact that the volumes of toner container and toner cartridge have to be virtually the same, is certainly excessively bulky. Since an "old" toner refill cartridge must be exchanged for a "new" toner cartridge whenever the toner container is empty and the toner refill cartridges are constructed as disposable cartridges, not only is relatively frequent changing of toner refill cartridges required but also the latter damage the environment as refuse.